Why Australia Needs Free TV

We tell Australian stories

All of the top 40 programs on commercial free to air television last year were Australian made. For 60 years commercial free to air television has been telling Australian stories from shows like Neighbours to McLeod’s Daughters and Home and Away. We have seen Australians challenged and triumph on MasterChef Australia and House Rules and explored our history in shows like Underbelly. Commercial free to air television remains a powerful visual representation of our stories and identities.

We are watched by 13 million people each day

Commercial free to air television is defined by its accessibility in Australian lives; anyone can access it. It is available in every home, every day across the country, bringing Australians together. People rely on commercial free to air television to watch their news, sport and current affairs.

We invest more than $1.5 billion in programs each year

We are committed to investing in domestic programming. Commercial free to air television provides 15 channels of content across a broad range of genres. Commercial free to air television contributes $6 out of every $10 spent on domestic content. Our investment of over $1.5 billion a year has increased ~10% year on year.

We support 15,000 jobs

Commercial free to air television has a strong history of supporting the cultural industries and the domestic production sector. We are committed to investing in Australian talent. We directly employ around 7,200 individuals and as many as 8,000 persons indirectly through the wider industry.

We contribute nearly $3 billion into the economy

We are a major contributor to the Australian economy pumping in $2.8 billion per year. In a time of increasingly globalised media markets and international media offerings commercial free to air television is committed to local investment, supporting the local media industry and the Australian economy as a whole.

We are trusted for local news

Commercial free to air television is the on the ground source for local news across the country. We are the recognisable and trusted face of Australian news and current affairs. We cover events of national significance, provide critical information in times of emergency and bring Australians together to witness moments in history, life changing occasions and times of national success.